[Libera: Works by Bonds, Hayes, Mendelssohn, Onovwerosuoke and Puccini; Marlissa Hudson, soprano; Peter Henderson, pianist; AMP Records AGCD 2106 (47:45)]
Dominique-René de Lerma, whose website is http://www.CasaMusicaledeLerma.com, wrote a review of the new CD Libera, AMP Records AGCD 2106, in which he said of the texts by composer Fred Onovwerosuoke: “Dr. Onovwerosuoke has kindly provided the following texts, which are not available with the recording.”
Duniya (Track 3 on Libera CD)
A-li-sa-lam a-le-ka
Ah-lee-sah-lahm ah-lay-kah
Peace be upon you
Fa, du-ni y’A-llah
Fah doo-nee-yah-lah
Behold, God’s universe
Al lah sum i’l-la-hi
Ah-lah soom ee-lah-hee
Of God, the Merciful
Fa, du-ni ya, lon man di
Fah doo-nee yah lohn mahn dee
God’s universe is beyond
Al lah sum i-la-hi’
Ah-lah soom ee-lah-hee
understanding, Merciful God
Al-lah, aku-bar!
Ah-lah ahk-bahr
Great God
E, ku-ba ja-ma le
Ay koo bah jah-mah lay
Grand designs, perpetual,
tam-bi-ta wa-la sum
Tahm-bee-tah wah-lah soom
and forever
Esato (Track 4 on Libera CD)
O-gi-ni tcha-to-ro ne lu?
Au-gee-nee chah-tau-rau neh-loo
Are these ripe fruits I see?
U-tu-i-sa to-ei!,
Oh-twee-sah-tau ay_ee
Eight peaches, juicy ripe
Ye ghe, ye ghe
Yay-ghay, yay-ghay
Ripe, juicy ripe
U-tu-i-sa-to
Oh-twee-sah-tau
Eight peaches/fruits
U-tu cha-ra-cha!
Oh-too chah-rah chah
Peaches fair and ready/mature
O-gi-ni nu’o na kpo-tu no,
Oh-gee-nee now nah kpau-too noh
What stops us from plucking
O bi-a no cha-to ko,
Oh-bee-yah nau chah-tau koh
Then comes this one
Cha-to ko, bi-ko’e,
Chah-tau kau bee-Koh_ay
Please let my wish come true
U-tu cha-ra cha
Oh-too chah-rah chah
Fair/ripe peaches, mature
Herero Folktales (Track 6 on Libera CD)
I-tu-pu-ka kem-be-per
Ee-too-poo-kah khem-beh-peh
The gently galloping horse
Jo-mun-du O-mu-him-ba
Yau-moon-doo Oh-moo-heem-bah
Of the Himba farmer
Ma-ma u_a-ndje’
Mah-mah oo_ahn jeh
Oh, Mother is very ill
ve-re tji-ne-ne
veh-reh chee-neh-neh
What can we do?
e-ye u_a-ve-ra, ve-re tji
Eh-yeh oo_ah veh-rah, veh-reh chi
What to do?
O-ka-na-tje, o-ka-ti-ti,
Oh-kah-nah-chay, Oh-kah-tee-tee
A little child wanders
O-ke-tam-ba O-ka-ti-ti
Oh-kay-tahm-bah, Oh-kah-tee-tee
In the mountains
Ku-ke-tam-ba Mo-pa-na-je
Koo-keh-tahm-bah moh-pah-nah-yay
The hour is late
Luwah (Track 9 on Libera CD)
Lu wa-h’e- e-e-e,
Loo-way-hay, ay…
Hear my lament
Wu la-a-szre na zhi
Woo-lah zreh nah zee
I’ve never cried
whi-ye-lu we
whee-yeh-loo-way
Like this before
Lu wa-h’e- e-e-e,
Loo-way-hay, ay…
Hear my lament
E kwe-li yen-ga na,
Ay-kway-lee yehn-gah nah
This great loss
Na lu-te ya;
Nah loo-tay yah
Saddens me
Nan-ga na ka ma
Nahn-gah nah kah mah
And startles me
Ngulu (Track 11 on Libera CD)
Ngu-lu i ngulu
Ngoo-loh ehn-goo-loh
(Free translation)
mwe-le-la’n-gu lu
Mway-lay-lahn-goo-loh
Farming,
i ngu lu, mwa-i wa
ehn-goo-loh, mwah-ee-wah
Planting
E, Wan-ga o
Ay wahn-gah oh
With dilligence
Wa-ka-sim-bi-li,
Wah-kah-seem-bee-lee
Moving along
Ma-len-ge me-ne
Mah-layn-gay may-nay
Thus yielding
Mwa te man-gi e
Mwah tay mahn-gee-ay
To good harvest
O, Wan ga o
Oh wahn-gah oh
Wa-ka-sim bi li
Wah-kah-seem-bee-lee
Ne Nkansu (Track 12 on Libera CD)
Ne’N-kan-su di-ma,
Nay-kahn-soo-dee-mah
(Free translation)
wei-yo, ma-meh, pa-eh
Way-ee-yoh, mah-may, pah-ay
Mother Earth owns the herbs
Ne’N-kan-su eh,
Nay-kahn-soo ay
That feed, heal
Ne ku-bu-ko di-ma
Nay koo-boo-koh dee-mah
And make whole
Ne ku-bu-ko eh
Nay koo-boo-koh ay
Di-ma, di-ma’n-so-bue-la
Dee-mah, dee-mahn-soh-bu_ay-lah
[END]
